Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised at the UN Human Rights Council the plight of those affected by the atrocities of Boko Haram; the actions taken at an EU level to tackle these atrocities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2013/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I am appalled by ongoing reports of outrageous acts of violence perpetrated in Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko Haram. These include the very recent killing of a large number of civilians, estimated by Amnesty International to be as high as 2,000, in an attack by militants in the north-eastern state of Borno. I am utterly appalled by reports of the use of innocent young children to carry primed explosives. I have also previously condemned the abduction of more than 200 young girls from a school in the Nigerian town of Chibok last April.

Nigeria was the subject of a Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva in October 2013. During that process, Ireland raised a number of issues including the ongoing atrocities being committed by Boko Haram and its total disregard for the human rights of the people affected.

The EU remains committed to providing a comprehensive range of political, development and humanitarian supports to Nigeria and its people in tackling the terrorist threat and in ensuring the sound development of the country. At the fifth Nigeria-EU Ministerial Dialogue held in Abuja on 27th November 2014, both the EU and Nigeria expressed concern that the violence of Boko Haram was becoming deep-rooted and was also affecting the wider region, including through refugee movements across borders. The EU emphasized the importance of a strong and human rights-compliant leadership in the fight against Boko Haram and in maintaining state control over the north-eastern states. The parties noted the enhanced regional cooperation between Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The Nigerian Government has primary responsibility for addressing the security and human rights situation in their country. The EU, as well as several individual EU Member States, and also the UN and the USA, continue to assist the Nigerian authorities in strengthening their ability to provide security and to combat terrorism. Our Embassy in Abuja is working locally, in co-operation with the EU and other key partners, in support of these efforts.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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201. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the conflict in the Ukraine will be discussed at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council; his position regarding the current sanctions imposed on Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2014/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The conflict in Ukraine is not formally on the agenda of the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 January. However, Ministers will have a comprehensive discussion on the EU’s relationship with Russia and it is likely that the situation in eastern Ukraine will be raised in the context of this debate.

The crisis in Ukraine and its impact on relations with Russia remains a major foreign policy challenge for the EU. Following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in March and clear evidence of its ongoing direct involvement in the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine, the response of the EU has been graduated.

A three-phase approach was agreed by EU leaders at the March European Council, beginning with the suspension of talks on a proposed new EU-Russia agreement and on visa liberalization (Phase 1), moving to asset freezes and visa bans (Phase 2) and culminating at the end of July with a move to targeted sectoral sanctions (Phase 3). The latter measures were further strengthened in early September following a serious deterioration of the situation on the ground in eastern Ukraine.

The sanctions were imposed in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and with the clear aim of encouraging a change in its behaviour towards its neighbour. They are designed to be flexible and can be intensified or lessened depending on developments on the ground in Ukraine.

The ceasefire agreements signed in Minsk last September provide the basis for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict. It is crucial, therefore, that all sides, including the Russian Federation, follow through on the commitments that they signed up to under these accords. The lack of progress on key elements of the agreements in the intervening period is deeply disappointing. Serious violations of the ceasefire in certain parts of eastern Ukraine occur on an almost daily basis and the current situation remains very fragile.

I remain of the view that the restrictive measures against Russia, coupled with open dialogue and continued political and economic engagement with the various sides involved in the conflict, offer the best way of creating the conditions for a breakthrough.